Contrary to popular belief, women also directly served in
the German war effort. While many functioned in traditional Auxiliary
roles or as Concetration Camp gaurds, there were exceptions. Despite the fact that the NSDAP wanted women to focus on more traditional roles as mothers and wives, when men became scarce, women took up some of their places. In addition to working as air raid wardens and firefighters, some worked for the Luftwaffe as radio
operators and observers (Luftwaffe Helferin), while others served on Anti-Aircraft Guns and in
spotlight crews. Later still, some participated in the Volkssturm (the German
Militia organization). While not well known or terribly common, some of these women actually
engaged in combat with their enemies, although whether by default or intention varied on circumstance. In one
instance, and according to the autobiography of a former member of the Hitler
Youth, the author claimed to have encoutnered a pair of teenage girls
manning a machine gun and intending to fend off a column of American
armor with it. Although they entreated him to stay and help them, he
left, and it is presumed that they died, or were captured. Another exception, and also at the very end
of the war, concerned what has become referred to as the German
underground movement, the Werewolf organization. Numbering only about 5,000,
500 of them were actually women, and they participated right along with their
male counterparts in acts of terror and sabotage against the Allied forces and
their appointees.

(Images, left to right: Two
Luftwaffe Helferin, Ilse Hirsch, A Volkssturm volunteer being instructed
in the Panzerfaust Anti-Tank weapon)

Spotlight: Ilse Hirsch

Born
in Hamm, Germany in 1922, Hirsch joined the League of German Women (BDM) at the
age of 16 and became one of its leaders in Monschalu. She later joined the
Werewolf organization and was trained for a mission to assassinate Franz
Openhoff, who had been appointed mayor of Aachen by the Allies. Her job was to
act as a guide for five men, and her team was parachuted into the area. They
managed to kill Oppenhof, but Hirsh was badly injured when she tripped a mine,
killing one of her teammates. Surprisingly, she was not suspected of having any
involvement in the murder, and was allowed to return home to recover. However,
in 1949, she and several of the other perpetrators were charged and put on
trial. Found guilty, they were sentenced to terms of one to four years, but Hirsch and one other team member were set
free. By 1972, Ilse Hirsch had married, and had become mother of two teenage
boys. Ironically, her residence was only a few miles from Aachen and the scene
of the Openhoff's murder.